Chapter 24 Ripples (Part Two) Measuring him with hands and eyes...
Zhi Rou's gaze remained fixed on Wei Yuanzhan's face as she smiled gently, "Is that so?"
She suddenly raised her hand, her little finger inevitably touching the back of his hand. Her fingers were always icy cold, like a drop of dew sliding down his skin.
Wei Yuanzhan was slightly taken aback and reduced his strength.
Zhi Rou seized the opportunity to break free from his grasp, grabbed his arm and pulled him up, then flipped him over and threw him to the side, switching their positions.
They were so close that her hair fell down, brushing against his cheek, causing a slight tickle.
He had held back with her earlier, not using his full strength, but she was different. Song Zhirou seemed emotionless, only wanting to win, her arm pressed firmly against his chest.
"Wei Yuanzhan, are you admitting defeat?" She measured him with her hands and eyes, her eyebrows slightly furrowed. "You've gotten... stronger lately."
Upon hearing her words, Wei Yuanzhan's eyelashes trembled deeply, and he instantly reached out to pull her down: "Don't touch me like that!"
Zhi Rou pushed herself up, picked up the two broken longswords, and wiped them with her armband.
"Well, our Prince Wei is a lump of gold. Touch him a couple of times and the gold will fall out."
As she spoke, she threw his sword back to him and bowed her head to attend to her own business.
After sheathing her sword, Zhi Rou ran back into the house, pulled up a stool and sat down next to Xue Nan, asking for a cup of tea.
"Master, I won!" she said happily.
Wei Yuanzhan stepped in from outside the door, patting his light blue round-necked robe: "Master, don't listen to her nonsense. She took advantage of someone in distress; she's no hero."
"I was never a hero, I was a good woman."
Wei Yuanzhan was too lazy to argue with her, so he handed the sword to Lan Ye, pulled up a chair, and sat down to help his master brew tea.
"You two," Xue Nan smiled and shook her head, glancing at the sky, and asked, "Aren't you going to study today?"
"It's my day off today, I'm going to stay here with Master." Zhi Rou took a sip of tea, and out of the corner of her eye, she caught Wei Yuanzhan looking at her with disdain. She straightened her back and said, "Aren't you leaving yet?"
Then he snorted softly, "Doesn't Master belong to you alone?"
Wei Yuanzhan looked away and turned to Xue Nan, saying, "Master, I practiced that sword technique the other day, but I still have trouble keeping my footing steady. Could you take a look at it for me this afternoon?"
“Okay.” Xue Nan had always taught Wei Yuanzhan everything she knew, and genuinely treated him as her disciple.
Zhi Rou is highly perceptive, but she is also very thoughtful. Xue Nan treats her more like a daughter, taking care of her in every way and never letting her suffer any emotional grievances.
Zhi Rou was a smart woman; she could tell that her master treated them slightly differently. On this matter, she didn't argue with Wei Yuanzhan. As long as she could frequently visit Qiyun Garden and properly show filial piety to her master, that would be enough to repay him.
"What should we eat for lunch? Shall I go to the riverbank and order a restaurant to deliver it over?"
Zhi Rou put down her teacup and stood up. As soon as she moved her legs, Wei Yuanzhan teased her, "You want to eat crispy fish again, don't you? We've been eating it with you for ten days straight. You're not tired of it, but Master and I are."
Zhi Rou's relaxed back and waist tensed up instantly, and she lowered her eyes to stare at Wei Yuanzhan.
He looked up at her, lifted her up slightly, and shook the teacup in his hand: "Isn't that right?"
Zhi Rou refused to admit it and immediately retorted, "Is 'Yu Feng Ge' the only restaurant by the river? If you don't want to eat there, I won't bring it for you."
After saying this, she bowed to Xue Nan and, like a nimble sparrow, lightly stepped out of the room.
Wei Yuanzhan frowned, then quickly snorted, unconcerned.
"Yuan Zhan, come, play a game of Go with me."
Meanwhile, as soon as Zhi Rou stepped out of Qi Yun Garden, she ran into a familiar figure. After a brief exchange of glances, he walked over and said, "Song Zhi Rou."
The newcomer was dressed in a straight robe with grapevine patterns embroidered along the hem. He had a handsome face and always wore a warm smile; it was Sheng Xingyun.
The year Zhi Rou became Xue Nan's apprentice, Sheng Xingyun somehow managed to get the Song family elders to agree to let him study at the Song family school.
There was a clear distinction between officials and businessmen, and most people were unwilling to associate with them, except for Wei Yuanzhan. They were close friends of many years, and others didn't say much when they saw them.
As for Zhi Rou, she noticed that Sheng Xingyun often talked to her, which, though trivial, was quite interesting. Over time, they became relatively close friends.
"Where are you going?" Sheng Xingyun asked.
"Yunliu River." Zhirou noticed he wasn't accompanied by a servant and casually asked, "What would you like to eat?"
Sheng Xingyun thought for a moment and said, "Bring me some crispy fish bones."
Zhi Rou smiled upon hearing this, as if she had drawn the enemy's elite troops into her own camp, and nodded in agreement, "Okay." She then took off her boots and prepared to board the carriage.
Unexpectedly, Sheng Xingyun called out from behind, "Wait!"
He took out a five-tael silver ingot from his pocket, grabbed Zhi Rou's hand and stuffed it into the ingot: "How can I let a young lady spend money? Take it, buy whatever you want."
Since they were familiar with each other, Zhi Rou didn't act coy. She clenched her fist and said, "This meal is on you. I'll find it for you in a bit."
"No need, you can keep it. I'm going in." He then turned and headed towards Qiyun Garden.
Zhi Rou chuckled softly and boarded the carriage.
From the moment she began learning martial arts, Song Congzhao assigned Pei Cheng to her. Whenever she went out, Xinghui and Pei Cheng would accompany her.
Xinghui was menstruating and had abdominal pain today, so Zhirou didn't let her come. Pei Cheng was driving outside and, observing the scene just now, couldn't help but praise, "Young Master Sheng is so generous; you can't find anyone more generous in the entire capital."
"It's his business if he's generous. Please return the change to him later. Thanks, Brother Pei."
"Yes," Pei Cheng replied.
On a bright sunny day, the water shimmered and the shops along the riverbank were adorned with whimsical banners, among which the Jade Wind Pavilion was the most interesting.
Its signboard, shaped like a windmill and made of nanmu wood, had several signs hanging from its blades, painted by an unknown artist, yet they were remarkably lifelike. When the wind blew, it would spin, making it particularly eye-catching.
Zhi Rou went in and ordered two servings of crispy fish and some seasonal vegetables, instructing them to deliver them to Qi Yun Garden.
As she crouched down and squeezed into the carriage, a thought suddenly struck her, and she abruptly turned back and went to the Broken Cloud Pavilion.
As noon approached, the shade of the trees was light, and the spring breeze blowing in carried a hint of warmth.
Xue Nan and Wei Yuanzhan had finished a game of chess. Xue Nan then asked Lan Ye to fetch some tangerines from the stove: "Rou girl bought these for me, have a taste."
Wei Yuanzhan held the peel in his hands, weighing it in his hand, and his heart seemed to grow heavy. He peeled it a little, then paused, only realizing halfway through that he hadn't washed his hands. He quickly put it on the table, got up, and went to the courtyard.
When he returned, he realized he couldn't eat the tangerines he had left behind, and his gaze kept drifting towards the courtyard gate.
"Are you getting anxious?" Xue Nan glanced at him sideways. "Didn't Rou beat you today? You don't need to worry about her skills."
Zhi Rou is not just a pretty face; she is hardworking and practices diligently. She doesn't boast about going into battle, but she is always more than capable of protecting herself.
Lan Ye chimed in from the side, "Fourth Miss must have seen something fun outside and got delayed again."
Wei Yuanzhan pondered for a moment, then lifted the hem of his robe: "I'll go look for it."
Lan Ye quickly straightened up and took two steps to catch up: "Master, let me go!"
A moment later, Wei Yuanzhan and Lan Ye arrived at the entrance of the courtyard and ran into Zhi Rou, who was carrying a food box.
A smile played on her lips, as if she were savoring something amusing. Seeing their hurried manner, she became more reserved and asked, "Where are you going?"
Before Lan Ye could speak, Wei Yuanzhan cut his clothes with a sharp sound, straightened his collar, and said, "It's too hot, come out and get some fresh air."
"Are you hot?" Zhi Rou didn't notice, and gently shook the food box. "I passed by Suiyunlou and bought the last fried goose. Don't you love it? There's also Master's braised pork with preserved vegetables, and Lan Ye, your favorite abalone in ghee."
"Fourth Miss, you're too kind..." Lan Ye's face flushed slightly. He hadn't expected that she would still remember his preferences, even though he always opposed the young master and the fourth young lady.
Something was amiss. Wei Yuanzhan's gaze lingered on her for a few moments, but he remained silent.
Once inside, Zhi Rou looked around: "The people from Jade Wind Pavilion haven't arrived yet?"
"No," Lan Ye replied, eagerly taking the food box and setting out the meal.
"Then you guys eat first, Sheng Xingyun and I will wait a bit longer."
As Zhi Rou spoke, she picked up the half-peeled tangerines on the table and popped them into her mouth segment by segment.
Before long, lunch was laid out on the table: four meat dishes and three vegetable dishes. The most exquisite dish was the deep-fried goose in front of Wei Yuanzhan, which exuded a crispy aroma.
Sheng Xingyun couldn't resist the temptation and reached for the goose meat dish with his chopsticks. Zhi Rou immediately stopped him: "Don't touch it!"
She swallowed the fruit, her voice still slightly moist: "Weren't you eating crispy fish with me? Wait a little longer. This goose was bought especially for him, so don't touch it."
After ordering some other dishes, he said, "These, you can try these."
Wei Yuanzhan raised one eyebrow in surprise.
“No, Song Zhirou,” Sheng Xingyun put down her chopsticks and straightened up slightly, “Yuan Zhan and I are practically inseparable. What’s wrong with eating some goose from him? He won’t mind.”
"Stop talking nonsense. Who's on your side? How disgusting." Wei Yuanzhan scoffed.
After a moment, he shifted his gaze back to Zhi Rou's face and asked casually, "Did you poison me?"
Zhi Rou's heart clenched, but her face remained calm and composed. She sat down next to Wei Yuanzhan and picked up a goose leg to put in her mouth.
Wei Yuanzhan stared at her intently.
A sliver of sunlight fell on Zhi Rou's cheek, then flowed down, covering her fair neck.
A gentle gurgling sound came from his throat.
I actually ate it.
Wei Yuanzhan looked away.
If food is not an issue, what is her purpose in doing this?
Zhi Rou rested one elbow on the edge of the table, leaned forward a few inches toward Wei Yuanzhan, and glanced at him sideways.
Are you scared?
The young man, at such a young age, was full of vigor. Hearing her provocation, he put a piece of goose meat into his mouth without saying a word.
The moment you taste it, it's like a flickering fire ignites on your body—spicy and pungent.
really.
Zhi Rou's plan succeeded, and she quickly stood up, but before she knew it, he grabbed her wrist and forcefully pulled her back to her seat.
After he slowly finished eating the piece he had just eaten, he glanced at her and gave a faint smile.
"It's alright. Why are you running away?"
Even with an armband covering her sleeves, Wei Yuanzhan easily grasped her hand and held it tightly.
Zhi Rou tried to break free several times, but his hand was as firm as a rock. Her knuckles went numb from being held by him for so long, but her expression remained unchanged: "I'll go see if the people from Yu Feng Pavilion have arrived yet."
"You'll know when they get here. What's there to see?" he said casually, as if it hadn't taken any effort at all.
Lan Ye stood by the table, watching the two men's exchange beneath the table, not daring to look directly at them, but feeling unusually conflicted.
In the past, he would have secretly cheered for his master, but today, the fourth young lady seemed quite nice... No, no, no, it was all an illusion. He shook his head, thinking, "Isn't it always like this? The fourth young lady is cunning; sooner or later, her master will catch her red-handed."
Zhi Rou straightened her back, displaying an air of spoiled and willful demeanor, and said, "I'm hungry, I'm anxious."
Wei Yuanzhan smiled faintly: "There's a table full of food, who's stopping you from eating?"
"I just want to eat fish."
“Picky,” he said, and then released her wrist.
Sheng Xingyun, who had been watching for a while, clicked his tongue twice and said, "You two siblings..."
To everyone's surprise, Zhi Rou reacted so quickly. Before he could finish speaking, she retorted, "He is not my brother."
Wei Yuanzhan chuckled and glanced at her, saying, "At least you're clear-headed."
“You two are ‘senior brother and sister,’ alright?” Sheng Xingyun said helplessly, glancing at the two of them for a moment before picking up her bowl. “That’s true, other siblings don’t act like you two.”
Speaking of Song Er Gongzi, she turned to Zhi Rou and sighed, "Song Qizhang treats you like a real brother. It's true that you should share a surname."
Wei Yuanzhan was too lazy to listen to his nonsense, so he picked up his chopsticks and ate his meal without saying another word.
After returning home in the afternoon, Zhi Rou sat for a while at Dan Yu Yuan, and then went to Xi Xiang Yuan.
Over the years, Lin He has never left the house, and Zhi Rou has tried to persuade her until her lips were worn out, but she still wouldn't listen. As a result, Xu Yueyuan's attitude towards the two of them has changed slightly. As long as Zhi Rou doesn't cause trouble or bring shame to the Song family, life can go on like this.
Zhi Rou was worried that Lin He would develop mental health problems from being so depressed, so she would spend half a day with her every day, telling her everything she had seen and heard.
After they finished talking, a voice suddenly called out from behind, "Song Zhirou!"
She stopped and turned around, politely waiting to the side. Only when the other person approached did she ask, "Third Sister, what's wrong?"
Song Hanjin glanced at her for a moment, then said softly, "The people from the Jiang family are here again. They say their young lady has asked you out many times, but you always make excuses. Their young lady is angry."
Zhi Rou was slightly surprised, but when she looked up and met Song Hanjin's slightly teasing gaze, she quickly calmed down: "Third sister, are you kidding me?"
Song Hanjin is fifteen years old this year. Her eyebrows are like crescent moons, her skin is like snow, and her eyes are dark and beautiful, as if they can speak. She is truly beautiful.
She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and said, "Who's kidding you?" As she walked, she continued, "You're never home, you're always at Qiyun Garden. I think that's your real home. I'll have the people from the Jiang family go back and tell their master not to come to the Song residence to look for you anymore. If they want to find you, they should go to Qiyun Garden."
"Did Sister really say that?" Zhi Rou frowned, lowered her eyes and muttered softly, "Master doesn't like to be disturbed."
“I don’t like being bothered,” Song Hanjin scoffed, glancing at her, “Then what are you going to do?”
Zhi Rou slowly raised her slightly lowered head, her expression shifting from confusion to delight: "Sister, is it... that you can't bear to part with me?"
Song Hanjin's eyes flashed slightly, then she snorted coldly, deliberately speaking in a slow and unhurried manner.
Song Hanxu had already married, but Madam Chen, the eldest wife, couldn't bear to part with Song Hanyin, which is why the engagement was delayed for a year. The originally betrothed son of the Cui family was keeping prostitutes in his outer residence, which enraged the eldest branch of the family. After the engagement was called off, Madam Chen went through a selection process for Song Hanyin and finally settled on the youngest son of the Duke of Wei's mansion.
It has been a difficult journey from beginning to end. If Zhi Rou were to misbehave in some way and ruin this marriage, even if Old Madam Song intervened, she wouldn't be able to protect her.
Upon hearing this, Zhi Rou's smile faded, and she simply looked away as she walked slowly without saying another word.
Song Hanjin glanced at her for a moment, her voice softening slightly: "I told you before, if you want to learn martial arts for self-defense, you can have your brother teach you. Why do you have to go to other people's houses every day?"
He even stayed with Wei Yuanzhan, and didn't find it annoying.
Zhi Rou casually replied, "Big brother is busy, how could I dare to disturb him?"
"What are you saying? It's just a side thing for your brother to teach you."
Upon hearing this, Zhi Rou's expression changed drastically. Her eyelashes trembled twice, and she reached out to grab her, pulling her to a stop.
"Sister, you didn't tell Big Brother about 't', did you? I really didn't dare, Third Sister, please let me go..."
Her dress faltered slightly, creating a gust of wind. Song Hanjin glanced at her face, somewhat taken aback by her loss of composure.
"So what if your brother can eat you?"
Song Hanjin raised an eyebrow slightly, then chuckled, "You're usually so fearless, but you get so scared just hearing 'brother.' Is brother really that scary?"
"no……"
Zhi Rou didn't want to say more about it, so she quickly changed the subject.
"Third sister, how can I not attend the spring banquet this year? Composing poems is not my forte; those noble ladies and gentlemen have no intention of associating with me, so naturally, I don't want to get to know them either."
Last year at the spring banquet, Zhi Rou went with Song Hanjin as usual. It's an annual event, and we've gotten to know almost everyone we need to know, so there are no new faces.
However, those noble ladies are always forgetful.
Every time he saw Zhirou, he would first feign concern and ask about her identity, then pretend to think for a moment before saying sarcastically, "Oh, I remember now. Song... Fourth Miss."
Song Hanjin knew her difficulties, but whether she attended the banquet or not was not something she could decide for herself.
"Have you informed your mother?" Song Hanjin asked.
Zhi Rou: "Mother didn't respond."
Song Hanjin paused for a moment before saying, "I'll ask your mother again for you."
"Thank you, Third Sister!"
The two chatted and laughed as they passed through the garden archway and continued walking into the Juexuan Palace.
Previously, Song Hanjin forbade anyone from entering her courtyard without permission because of Madam Zheng. Now that Madam Zheng is not here, she has rescinded the order.
She and Zhi Rou got along very well and often slept together at night. Now, when Zhi Rou stepped into Jueyan, it was as if she were returning to her own room, and she had no more taboos.
Jiang Luoya's birthday is in a few days, and Zhi Rou, as a friend, should prepare the gift in advance.
Remembering what they had said in the corridor, she turned and asked, "Third sister, is it true that Luo Luo is angry?"
"How would I know?" Song Hanjin didn't really like Jiang Luoya; in fact, she felt inexplicably hostile towards her.
At this moment, she lost interest, and her face suddenly turned cold: "I am simply relaying what her servants said. If you don't believe me, go find her yourself."
Normally, Zhi Rou would be able to understand the hidden meaning in her words, but when it came to Jiang Luoya, she became a bit impulsive, and got up with a furrowed brow.
"I'll go now."
"Stand still!" Song Hanjin snapped.
She stopped, loosened her fist on the armrest, and straightened her posture.
"Father said that as your older sister, I have a responsibility to supervise your behavior. It's getting late; do you still intend to leave the manor without permission?"
Zhi Rou lowered her eyelashes: "Third sister is right."
The next day, after school ended, Zhi Rou went to the eaves to wait for Song Hanjin.
The spring sun shone on the girl's shoulders, golden and reflecting a few rays of warmth.
Song Hanjin and Zhi Rou had agreed that Song Hanjin would accompany her to Liuli Street today to pick out a gift for Jiang Luoya.
Therefore, as soon as the bell rang, Song Hanjin asked someone to bring her a veil and went to the eaves to call for Zhirou.
When Wei Yuanzhan came out, he witnessed this very scene.
She and Song Hanjin were together, and they didn't plan to return to Qiyun Garden today.
Just then, Sheng Xingyun strolled up from behind and chuckled beside Wei Yuanzhan: "Serves you right for provoking her yesterday. See, she's ignoring you now. Really, what's wrong with letting her have her way?"
He clearly witnessed everything that happened yesterday, yet he still managed to spout such nonsense. Wei Yuanzhan raised an eyebrow and couldn't help but retort, "I provoked her?"
Sheng Xingyun smiled but did not answer.
He patted Wei Yuanzhan on the shoulder and said, "Let's go. Do you want to go to Qiyun Garden, or do you want to eat out with me?"
The carriage stopped at the north end of Liuli Street. Zhi Rou jumped down first and reached out to help Song Hanjin. The veil swayed gently, and although there was a breeze, it still completely covered her face.
Zhi Rou frowned: "Third sister, you never used to wear a veil when you went out. Is it because you came out with me today... that you're wearing one now?"
Her words were blunt and to the point: it was shameful to travel with her.
As if she had heard something inappropriate, Song Hanjin's voice came from under the veil: "Are you kidding me?"
She was afraid of running into Jiang Luoya.
For some reason, there was an inexplicable tension between her and Jiang Luoya, as if they were secretly at odds.
Therefore, she absolutely must not let anyone know that she helped her fourth sister choose a gift for Jiang Luoya, and if she was to choose, she had to choose the worst one to send to the Jiang family, just to spite that "Luo Luo" girl.
Upon entering the jade shop, the sharp-eyed shop assistant noticed the two women's distinguished bearing and quickly stepped forward to greet them attentively.
Song Hanjin was quite knowledgeable about jade, so she didn't need any recommendations and began to admire it on her own.
“This is interesting, like the wooden tortoise that Wei Yuanzhan gave you before,” she suddenly said.
Zhi Rou hadn't even glanced at him yet when she heard these words. Her eyes flickered slightly, gradually turning somewhat gloomy.
Two years ago, in autumn.
Zhi Rou's pet tortoise, "Red-Robed General," passed away. Wei Yuanzhan, feeling sorry for her, asked someone to bring over an extremely expensive wooden sculpture, resembling a deity. Lan Ye carried it into the family school and presented it to Zhi Rou.
Upon seeing it, she was stunned for a moment, whether from shock or sadness, her eyes reddened.
At the moment, Song Hanjin mentioned that it was not intentional, but considering this, she spoke a little too quickly.
Seeing that Zhi Rou's expression was off, she immediately muttered under her breath, "It doesn't look good."
Zhi Rou's gaze was fixed on the jade carving, as if she were lost in thought. After a while, she suddenly spoke up: "Actually, it looks alright."
It's unclear whether the item being evaluated is the one currently in use, or one that Wei Yuanzhan gave her in the past.
Song Hanjin guessed that her fourth sister was using insincere words to help her out, and she had to be grateful. So she walked to the bottom of the long staircase, where there was a table full of neatly arranged jade hairpins: "Fourth sister, come here."
After much deliberation, she finally chose a set of pleasant jewelry, had the shopkeeper wrap it up, and then asked Zhirou, "Can we go back to the manor now?"
"elder sister……"
The moment the sweet, cloying tone was uttered, coupled with those star-filled eyes, Song Hanjin didn't need to listen any longer and simply smiled.
Where else do you want to go?
The small restaurant smelled strongly of oil and grease, and Song Hanjin, who was very clean, had never set foot in such a place in her entire life.
She had barely stepped inside when she felt unwell all over. She frowned and said, "No, I can't eat. You go by yourself."
Zhi Rou had no choice but to give in and turned around: "Then what should I do? Should I go to Suiyun Tower for dinner, sister? Suiyun Tower is elegant, but isn't it just a place that sells wine and meat?"
The last sentence was spoken very softly, almost as a mutter.
Song Hanjin was sharp-witted and quick-witted. She raised her eyes and scoffed, "If the owner of Suiyun Tower heard you say that, he'd probably be willing to risk his life to fight you."
Upon hearing this, both of them laughed. They then moved into the carriage and, after a winding journey, arrived at the Broken Cloud Tower.
Under the building sign, Zhi Rou bumped into Wei Yuanzhan and Sheng Xingyun as they came out. Just as she stepped one leg into the building, someone suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her back out as if to avoid danger: "Let's go to another place."
She staggered, quickly grabbed Song Hanjin's hand, and stopped, asking, "What's wrong?"
As he spoke, he glanced inside the building and met Wei Yuanzhan's gaze as he looked back.
If he hadn't noticed them earlier, it would have been difficult for him not to see them after Song Hanjin dragged him along.
Strictly speaking, the Song and Wei families are relatives, so it's understandable that Zhi Rou is curious about the distant relationship between the younger generation. But every time she asks Song Hanjin, she only says that she's feeling down, and doesn't reveal anything else.
"There are too many people, it's too noisy," Song Hanjin said dismissively, pulling her hand away from Zhi Rou's grasp and turning towards the carriage.
Despite her boundless energy, Rou's good mood had vanished after so many twists and turns. Sulking, she stood rooted to the spot, and seeing that Song Hanjin didn't even turn her head, she immediately considered going to seek refuge with Wei Yuanzhan.
Just as she turned around, she bumped into a strong chest. There was a faint scent of agarwood in his arms. Zhi Rou's forehead rested against it, and she was slightly taken aback.
Immediately, a pair of strong hands gripped her shoulders, as if supporting her and separating her from her embrace.
Zhi Rou, feeling a bit unwell from her cold, took two steps back and looked up.
The person in front of her was five or six inches taller than her, with thick eyebrows and deep-set eyes, and wore a Taoist robe. In the dim spring light, a hint of surprise appeared in his eyes, as if her appearance had frightened him. His lips parted slightly, but he remained silent for a long time.
Finally, Zhi Rou spoke first: "Sorry, I didn't knock anything over, did I?"
As his thoughts gradually returned, the man lowered his gaze, his voice clear and crisp, like snow falling among bamboo.
"I was in a hurry and apologized for my rudeness, young lady." She bowed her head, smoothed her sleeves, and asked again, "Did you lose anything, young lady?"
When traveling with her third sister, Zhi Rou did not carry any money, so she had nothing to lose.
Just as she was about to respond, her gaze unconsciously passed over the man's shoulder and settled on Wei Yuanzhan, who was walking towards them.
His face was handsome and upright. As he got closer, his dark eyes stared intently at her, and he changed the way he addressed her, with a hint of mockery.
"How long does Fourth Sister plan to stay?"
Wei Yuanzhan only called her "Fourth Sister" in front of outsiders, in order to avoid revealing her real name and to save trouble.
Zhi Rou was somewhat pleased that he had suddenly come over. With an acquaintance present, she no longer had to talk to a stranger on the street.
As if he had just noticed the "stranger," Wei Yuanzhan slightly raised his eyelids, observed him for a moment, raised an eyebrow slightly, and revealed a polite expression: "And who is this?"
Wei Yuanzhan was clearly younger than the man, yet his words and actions exuded arrogance.
He and Song Zhirou grew up together, and apart from not sleeping under the same roof at night, their whereabouts were almost completely identical. How could he not know who she knew?
The man in front of her was clearly not someone she had ever met. What kind of behavior was this, pulling and tugging at each other in the street?
Upon hearing this, the man slightly narrowed his eyes and looked at Wei Yuanzhan. Then he chuckled softly, his words directed at Zhi Rou.
"My name is Ling Ziheng. I was impetuous just now, young lady. Please forgive me."
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